Gather the Vongola Rings
by iwillcontinuetodraw
Summary: Tsuna's last words


Gokudera stood at the back of the hall, black against black, with an even darker scowl on his face. On his left near the door stood Ryohei, and his right Yamamoto. He couldn't help but notice Yamamoto's tight grip on the hilt of his katana, and Ryohei's tensed pose. So they shared his sentiments.

At the front of the hall before a congregation of minor bosses sat two .

Ten years had passed since Tsuna was the hesitant boy. Ten years since the boss ran from a Chihuahua. Ten years since his smile was that innocent, awkward and unguarded grin.

But still he smiled.

Byakuran gave a smile in return, and both sat themselves. The negotiations began, an entirely unpleasant topic, but somehow it went without a hitch, no murmurs from the bosses, unpleasant topics resolved harmoniously.

Gokudera's mind glanced off the topic of discussion, and his eyes were set only on Byakuran, watching his every move, every gesture, every expression. Tsuna had told him he was being too careful, but a quick glance told him the two other guardians were doing the same.

Then it happened, so quick none of them, busy as they were staring at Byakuran, noticed its start. One of the bosses gave a signal, and before anyone could react, before they realized Byakuran's ploy, the simultaneous sounds of a thousand gunshots blanked out everything in Gokudera's ears.

The expression on Tsuna's face that frozen second was a slight surprise, before crimson exploded over his figure.

Then, more out of reflex than common sense, Gokudera started moving. Uri leapt out of her box, covering Gokudera's back as he ran towards the fallen tenth. Yamamoto was moving too, and Ryohei, and they ran, ran, and time seemed to slow as they urged their legs to run, strain beyond limits, until Gokudera skidded and collapsed right before Tsuna. A heartbeat later Yamamoto was there, but Ryohei was caught in the mob.

"Juudaime!"

He shouted, but what he heard was a hoarse half-whisper. But Tsuna heard. His brown eyes opened, slightly, and he smiled. His smile was more than any words he could ever speak. It was joy, grief, pride, regret, and a million other thoughts, all in that smile.

Why is the tenth smiling? Why wasn't he struggling to stand up, as he had done before, a thousand times, a million times, always standing up for what he believed, a habit, a reflex drummed into him by Reborn? Why didn't he stand up to fight like when Reborn died? Why didn't his eyes burn with determination to right wrong?

Why did the Tenth only smile?

The pure Sky flame flared on his forehead suddenly, and his expression grew serious. He lifted up a hand to wipe away the tears Gokudera didn't know he had shed. The flame left a warmth that lasted long even when the rest of Gokudera's face was cold as stone.

"Don't give up, Gokudera. The Vongola needs your strength. Don't cry, Yamamoto. The guardians need your joy. Tell everyone… Thank you for everything."

"Gather… the vongola rings.." He whispered these last words in his right hand man's ears. And as Gokudera bent forwards, tears spilling despite efforts to stop them, Tsuna smiled once more. And in that smile, Gokudera understood goodbye.

"RUN!" Ryohei screamed in his ears, and by instinct he stood with the Tenth in his hands, and ran. The world was blurred, and he stumbled, but always someone kept him up. He made it to their car and saw Ryohei fall before his world turned black.

When he woke again it was cold. He moved a hand and wondered dimly why it hurt. Neat bandaged covered his chest and back, and when he opened his eyes the light blinded him. When his hearing recovered he heard Lambo, crying again for some reason. Perhaps Reborn had-

Then he remembered.

He pushed himself up with an arm and felt several things rip, and blood slowly oozed again through his bandages, but the pain in his stomach was nothing in comparison to the desolate, ripping pain he had in his heart. When soft hands pushed him forcefully back into bed he saw that it was Chrome, and when someone offered him a glass of water he realized it was Ipin. Then he looked around, and saw that everyone was gathered around him. Hibari gave him a look and promptly went out of the ward.

"The tenth..?"

By the deathly silence he felt something in him click close. Everyone looked away, and only Lambo's crying could be heard. When the door banged open again.

"What were his last words to you?" Hibari had re-entered.

Gokudera tiredly looked up at the irate Guardian of Cloud.

"He said thank you."

There was a metal ring and something very hard connected with the side of his head.

"Regain your senses!"

Blood seeped through his hair and trickled down the side of his head. The pain cleared his head for a moment.

"And he said… gather the Vongola Rings."

Hibari left.

The Tenth's funeral was secret, but not short of grand. In a forest clearing in Japan, the six guardians gathered.

When Tsuna's coffin was laid to rest in a bed of white flowers, the sky grew dark and it rained.

Gokudera raised a hand to the heavens. Even though the elements were all separate, the sky had connected them and they were always close to each other.

But now the sky has fallen, where do its elements go?


End file.
